Women of All Nations

The 1926 silent "What Price Glory?" introduced Victor McLaglen as Captain Jim Flagg, and Edmund Lowe as Sgt. Harry Quirt, fellow marines who become friendly rivals, especially where there are women involved. The team was so popular that they repeated the roles in 1929's "The Cock-Eyed World," 1931's "Women of All Nations," and 1933's "Hot Pepper" (plus cameos in the 1931 2-reeler "The Stolen Jools"). Judging by the evidence on screen, the viewer may wonder why another sequel would have even been considered, as "Women of All Nations" meanders from one character to another, the endless banter between the two stars quite tiresome, especially the third wheel, El Brendel (the two year gap between films seems to have been a major factor). Among the unbilled performers who provide the only sparks, we have (all too briefly as a hoochie coochie dancer) the vivacious blonde Marjorie White, diminutive dynamo of early musical comedy (particularly 1933's "Diplomaniacs"), whose life was tragically cut short by a fatal car crash in 1935 (her last film was an early Three Stooges short, "Woman Haters"). But the most famous name belongs to Bela Lugosi, a frequent player at Fox Studios prior to "Dracula," shot just as his Dracula saw release in Feb 1931. As Prince Hassan, he indulges in stock villainous poses, threatening the lives of our two heroes for daring to making love to his favorite wife. The trollop has the audacity to hide both men in her boudoir (with El Brendel just outside), while the Prince slowly becomes aware of just how many suitors she has as all three indulge in catlike meows! Lugosi was no stranger to Marjorie White, as they later appeared together in "The Black Camel" and "Broadminded" the same year. Lugosi would also see more of Edmund Lowe, in 1932's "Chandu the Magician," 1934's "Gift of Gab," and 1935's "The Best Man Wins," while Victor McLaglen would get top billing over Boris Karloff in 1934's "The Lost Patrol" (Raoul Walsh would direct Karloff in "The Yellow Ticket," in the summer of 1931). Bela would return to Fox for "Chandu the Magician," 1933's "The Devil's in Love" (his last unbilled role), and 1939's "The Gorilla."